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Photo: EC Bad Tolz forward and 2014 prospect Andreas Eder is ranked 105th among European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2014 NHL Draft (courtesy of Chapin Landvogt/HF)

The 2014 IIHF U18 World Championship for Germany has so far been a disappointment. While there was little expectation that the Germans would take home a medal, that country was nevertheless hoping to make a good showing and at least take part in the playoff round.

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Photo: Bad Tolz forward and 2014 prospect Andreas Eder (L), shown here competing for Germany at the 2013 U18 tournament, spent some time in the WHL this season with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants before returning to Germany (courtesy of ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images)

For several years now, Team Germany has found a way to not only keep itself afloat as one of the top 10 ice hockey nations in the world at the IIHF U18 World Championship, but has actually managed to battle its way into the quarterfinals. This has been the case for four years running, but the last three years were due in large part to the participation of the dynamic duo of Leon Draisaitl and Dominik Kahun.

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Photo: Prince Albert Raiders forward and 2014 prospect Leon Draisaitl scored at a point-per-game pace during the 2014 World Juniors despite missing time due to penalties and suspensions (courtesy of Chapin Landvogt/HF)

While the goal may have been modest, Germany's 2014 World Junior Championship entry managed to maintain their place among hockey's top countries at the U20 level by virtue of their winning a best-of-three, relegation round series over a tough Norway squad. By virtue of their win, Germany will take part in the 2015 WJC that will be held in Toronto, ON and Montreal, QC a year from now, while Norway once again drops down to the Division 1A WJC.

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Photo: Team Norway forward Martin Ronnild and his teammates, will attempt to complete what would be an upset win over Germany in the relegation round of the 2014 World Junior Championship (courtesy of ANDREAS HILLERGREN/AFP/Getty Images)

Two games haven't decided the fate of the two relegation round combatants at the 2014 World Junior Championship, so Germany and Norway will play one more to decide which team will compete at the 2015 WJC next year in Canada.

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Photo: Sudbury Wolves forward Dominik Kahun will be a key performer in Germany’s relegation round series against Norway at the 2014 World Junior Championship (courtesy of Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

With the preliminary round now in the books, eight of the 10 teams taking part in the 2014 World Junior Championship can look forward to battling it out for medals beginning with the four quarterfinals matches on Thursday. But the other two teams on the outside looking in, Germany and Norway, are in the more precarious position of having to qualify for next year's top level of the WJC.